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Every week, football fans all across the world watch and cheer on their favorite teams. As footballers strive to make an impression on the field, their efforts begin to be appreciated. Fans are quick to evaluate whether or not they like a player, and big-name players are usually well-liked by their fans.
What distinguishes a good player is their ability to thrive in their position and consistently give strong performances for their team in order to assist them in winning games. Some of the best footballers in the game today, such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Robert Lewandowski, are all highly regarded by fans all over the world.
Not all players receive equal recognition from everyone
A football team consists of 11 players, each of whom may play a critical role in the team's success. As a result, it is evident that only a few of them will receive fair attention, while most will be overlooked. There are those that don’t get the acknowledgment they deserve.
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So, without further ado, let's break down a list of five players across Europe's top five leagues, who are having a rather 'underrated' season this term.
#5 Bruno Guimaraes (Lyon)
It may seem weird to call a player who is currently linked with Arsenal and Juventus underrated. But given just how subpar Lyon have been this season, the performances of Bruno Guimaraes have been outstanding.
Capable of playing as both a deep-lying playmaker and a box-to-box midfielder, the Brazilian has become Lyon's prime distributor this term. Only Marco Verratti and Ander Herrera have beaten his 8.2 passes into the final third per 90 in Ligue 1.
The 24-year old has also remained press resistant in a side which has otherwise been sloppy defensively. Guimaraes has been completing two dribbles a game with a 77% success rate, creating even more chances than playmakers Houssem Aouar and Lucas Paqueta.
With all eyes on Eduardo Camavinga last summer, clubs like Manchester United and Bayern Munich would've done well to look at Guimaraes instead. Whoever eventually lands him will have one of Europe's most exciting central midfielders on their hands.
#4 William Saliba (Marseille, on loan from Arsenal)
Ben White may have formed a promising partnership with Gabriel at Arsenal, but William Saliba's performances at Marseille suggests Mikel Arteta would be wise not to disregard him.
The 20-year-old Saint-Etienne academy graduate has looked excellent while playing alongside Duje Caleta-Car in the backline of Jorge Sampaoli's 4-3-3 formation. Saliba has played the full 90 minutes in all but one game and has completed 94% of his tackles, 16% more than Ruben Diaz this season. In addition, only six players in Europe can better his 94% pass accuracy.
Factoring in the fact that the Frenchman has carried the ball over 2,200 meters this season, it is clear that Saliba is loving life on the South Coast. With Soares and Chambers expected to leave Arsenal next term, it'd be worth it for Arteta to bring Saliba back permanently next summer.
#3 David Raum (TSG Hoffenheim)
A young left-back who is yet to garner the attention he deserves — atleast outside Germany — is David Raum. He joined Hoffenheim last summer after helping Greuther Fürth achieve promotion to the Bundesliga last term with 13 assists in the second tier.
The 23-year old has impressed massively in his first season of top-flight football. Raum has registered two goals and five assists in 18 Bundesliga appearances at the time of writing. In addition, only Trent Alexander-Arnold and Filip Kostic are creating more than his 2.8 chances per game among full-backs across Europe.
Raum's pinpoint delivery, superb passing and ability to link up in half spaces make him the player that top clubs should be monitoring.
He was also practically ever present in Germany's triumph at the U-21 Euros in June last year. While he represented his country at the Tokyo Olympics, Raum also received his maiden cap from Hansi Flick in Autumn last year.
#2 Cody Gakpo (PSV Eindhoven)
Another player who made his international debut in 2021 was Cody Gakpo. The PSV winger, who was linked with Bayern Munich last summer, was called up to the Euro 2020 squad by former Dutch boss Frank de Boer. As it happens, he remains in the setup under Louis van Gaal.
While he's made a promising start with the Oranje, it's been at club level that Gakpo has impressed the most. The 22-year-old has already registered six goals and ten assists in Eredivisie this campaign, averaging a goal or an assist every 65 minutes.
Since last year, Gakpo's shots have risen from 2.4 to a mean 4 per game. Meanwhile, he's now creating 3.5 chances per game, up from 1.6 last season.
PSV are marginally ahead of a truly brilliant Ajax side in the title race at the time of writing. Hence, it's essential Gakpo keeps up his current form if they're to win their first league crown in four years.
#1 Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo)
With Inter's perfectly balanced team and Milan's emerging talents receiving the majority of the plaudits, Sassuolo skipper Domenico Berardi continues to fall through the cracks.
Playing his 10th season with the Neroverdi, the right-winger has shown the sort of consistency that most forwards can only dream of. The Italian has made 66 goal contributions in his last 115 Serie A games.
This season, he has already managed 10 goals and eight assists in just 19 league appearances. Notably, his average time for a goal contribution (92 minutes) is better than that of wingers like Neymar, Leroy Sané and Vinícius Júnior.
Berardi currently averages 3.5 shots per 90, a tally bettered only by Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Premier League. With these astounding numbers, it's no surprise to see that his expected goals and assists stand at 0.65 per game.
With goals against Atalanta, Inter, Milan and Lazio already this season, Berardi surely needs to play Champions League football sooner rather than later.
